A Collaboration between Two Breweries

09 December 2019

At Ashgrove Farm in rural Wiltshire, an old barn was converted into Gritchie Brewery using natural resources from the Estate to give people a taste of Britishness into their beers. Gritchie Brewery marry together old world traditions with new world ingredients; specially selected hops, blended with classic varieties and new breeds to help shape each of their beer's flavour, making them well-rounded and sessionable. As the...

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Anytime IPA is now in Cans!

05 December 2019

This year Meantime celebrated 20 years of modern craft beer. 20 years since their founder, Alastair Hook, emptied the first sacks of malt into the mill at a brewery in South East London Alastair's pioneering story begins with that all-important first sip; a taste of best bitter that he stills remembers the flavour of to this day. Whilst the bitter was an important first...

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Are you ready for Christmas?

We want to make sure you have everything you need, especially in the run up to Christmas and New Year. Nothing will keep us from getting to you (babe)! We hope you've found our personalised delivery schedule look-up helpful so you know when your last delivery is before Christmas, your first afterwards and in the New Year.... if you haven't...

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Mixologist's Diary - The Big Society

03 December 2019

The Big Society gang took over the site on the Cowley Road in Oxford in September 2012 and after a lot of hard work putting right the lovely listed building, they opened their doors in February 2013 and haven't looked back! Creating something a little different for Oxford; an informal pub/bar/hang out venue that serves tasty food and even...

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Made from Wonky, Ripe Apples

03 December 2019

The owner behind Willy's has been trading potatoes for most of his life, and inherited 200 acres of untouched organic orchards when he moved to Laddin Farm, Herefordshire, in 2005. He felt the sense of balance in the old orchards and felt it was his duty to preserve it. The apples made the most incredible cider, and having learnt the craft of fermenting...

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Wine News: Meerlust Red

28 November 2019

Meerlust Estate has been the pride of the Myburgh family since 1756. Today, the dedication to quality winemaking continues under the guidance of 8th generation, Hannes Myburgh. Cellar Master, Chris Williams, who has worked on the estate since 1995 has been in charge of winemaking since 2004. The name Meerlust means "pleasure of the sea", as the property is situated 5km from False Bay...

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Festive Spirits Shortlist

26 November 2019

The festive season is officially here, so we've shortlisted a couple of spirits to get you into the mood. Warner's began in 2012 on their beautiful family farm. They began with the things that matter most and a dream to save the world from mediocre gin. The team try to keep things local, and as custodians of the land, they harvest with a respect...

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The Secret is all in the Blending

25 November 2019

As rum lovers, the team behind RedLeg simply wanted to create the best tasting rum, and to do this they combine a blend of the best rums from the Carribbean. The secret to the great taste of RedLeg is all in the blending, the rum is left to rest in oak barrels and is infused with Jamaican ginger and vanilla spices. An instantly sweet smell...

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Free From Beer is in Cans!

21 November 2019

A few of the team were sitting around over a few beers one evening. They'd all grown up in the world of drinks - different backgrounds but common values on what's 'right' and wrong, of course. One of them argued that gluten free beer was only ever available in bottles. They dug deeper, and realised that not only were the gluten free beers hidden, but...

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Harry's Mulled Cider!

19 November 2019

A traditional favourite, mulled cider offers warmth, reminding us all of winters past, being with family, all crowded in front of the fire. Harry's Mulled Cider is made at the family farm in Long Sutton near Langport. Sweetened with a cane sugar, the base cider is gently mulled for more than two hours with a selection of spices including ginger,...

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20 Years of Experience

18 November 2019

Funkin Cocktails are the market leading fruit puree and cocktail mixer brand. With over 20 years working with and supplying some of the best bars and mixologists with their award-winning products, they know a thing or two about cocktails. They pride themselves on the best quality and consistency of their purees and mixers to ensure that great tasting cocktails are available to all. Fruit is...

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Buyer's Pick this Month...Jagermeister Cold Brew

15 November 2019

Carlyn, our Spirits buyer's pick of the month is the new Cold Brew edition from Jagermeister. Unchanged in recipe, unflagging in popularity. Who could have guessed that what began as a celebratory drink among hunters would give rise to a story so bold, rich and varied? It was Wilhelm Mast's son Curt who took the family vinegar business in a very...

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Corona Is on Draught!!

14 November 2019

It's here! Following a successful trial Corona has moved beyond the bottle and is finally on draught for the first time in its almost 95 year history. Pints can now be poured from a rather unique font tower which is plastic free, with a glass viewing pane that shows the golden liquid inside. The Mexican beer is also aiming to keep the lime...

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A new look for Hampshire's Twisted Nose Gin

13 November 2019

Winchester Distillery has unveiled a stunning new design for its flagship gin, Twisted Nose. Using 20% less glass and 95% less plastic, Twisted Nose is now presented in a bespoke bottle that ripples and refracts like the surface of a Hampshire chalk stream, capturing the natural habitat of where it's made. The award-winning spirit is gently distilled with fresh, peppery watercress, grown just outside...

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Unmistakably Kopparberg

11 November 2019

Kopparberg Brewery was re-established in 1994, when Peter Bronsman and his brother Dan-Anders Bronsman bought the old brewery in the town of Kopparberg, Sweden; 36 regional brewers originally founded it in 1882. Kopparberg is now sold in more than 30 countries and is the world's best selling pear cider. The founders of Kopparberg Town originally came for its copper reserves; the town's many traditional...

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Proud to be Part of the Craft Revolution in Cask

07 November 2019

Bristol Beer Factory started life in 2004 brewing just a few standard cask conditioned ales in a vibrant part of south Bristol. The team soon realised there was so much more to brewing and many more styles of beer that they wanted to try, so they've developed their production to offer a range. They're not afraid to try something new, and the company has a...

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Buyer's Pick This Month...Salcombe Brewery

06 November 2019

Michael, our Beer and Ciders buyer's pick of the month is the range from Salcombe Brewery. For over 30 years, John Tiner and his wife Gerry had been spending part of their holidays in the South Hams. Here John developed a passion for one beer in particular, Shingle Bay. In 2011 John was told that Quercus, the brewery that...

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Only a Pale Ale Away - A Beer with a Cause!

05 November 2019

Big Hug Brewing, the London based 'hobo' brewers, in collaboration with the Pub Love Group, have brewed a beer for the recently established charity, Only A Pavement Away (OAPA), to help raise awareness for the charity. Big Hug has always had a social conscience at its heart and is proud to have now formalised a relationship with Only A Pavement Away (OAPA). OAPA was established to...

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A Marriage of East Coast and West Country Styles

04 November 2019

Silly Moo Cider's name came about as the cows on the farm go a little bit silly when they get the chance to devour the apple pomace left behind from pressing the juice..! Silly Moo is an unusually civilised farmhouse cider, made on the farm by Andrew and Rachel. It is a marriage of East coast and West Country cider...

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A New Coke Taste Sensation

30 October 2019

There's nothing better than relaxing with the refreshing taste of Coca-Cola. But, sometimes, you might want something a little bit stronger. The unique and familiar flavour of Coca-Cola has cemented its status as one of the most popular mixers in the world. So, with dark spirits making a comeback and cocktail and mixer drinks more popular than ever, Coca Cola put their signature drink to the...

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Autumnal wines with our #MDWB Will!

29 October 2019

Autumn is in full swing with the return of Pumpkin Spice Latte's, long forgotten thick-knit jumpers and the seasonal favourite... 'isn't it getting dark early?' Food and Drink menus across the country are beginning to reflect this as everyone starts to seek out their nearest fireplace, the next warming dish and something seasonal in the glass. It is therefore the perfect time to refresh your...

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barbadian excellence

28 October 2019

Away from the beaches, bars and nightlife, Barbados has a collection of world-leading drinks distilleries. New to our shelves this month Doorly's 14 Year Old Rum is a great example of this, made in Barbados by the award-winning Foursquare Distillery. The owners of Foursquare Distillery, the Seale family, can trace their roots on Barbados back to the 1650s, and can reference five generations of rum-making...

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Big Smoke's Lineup

25 October 2019

Big Smoke Brewery are a young brewery producing modern beer styles in the leafy suburbs of Esher in Surrey. They brew hop forward pales, rich stouts and everything in between, brewing the kind of beer that they like to drink: flavourful, seasonal and sessional. Their range includes: Cold Spark Citra Pale, which is brewed with 100% Citra, the brewery's favourite hop. They've also added lactose to...

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That Boutique-y Gin Co

24 October 2019

That Boutique-y Gin Company bottles delicious gins from some of the world's best distilleries, brands and minds. Their fun and informative labels are all hand-illustrated for your delight, often including gin industry (gindustry) folk. Popular in the 1920s, pineapple is back with a 21st century twist. Whole pineapples are roasted on a spit with Demerara sugar until a beautiful caramelisation occurs - did...

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Marrying Oriental and Western Traditions

22 October 2019

The Kaikyo Distillery (named after the Akashi-Kaikyo bridge that lies at the foot of the distillery) is located near Akashi, a city located in southern Hyōgo Prefecture, Japan, on the Seto Inland Sea west of Kobe. New to our shelves this month, their 135 East Gin marries Oriental and Western traditions in a harmonious manner both in the gin and on the label which shows...

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Spooky Spirits and Ciders

21 October 2019

Halloween is just a few weeks away, and with the festival gaining massive popularity in recent years, turning into one of the UK's biggest cultural and commercial events, why not prepare and get into the mood with these spooky spirits and ciders? Dead Man's Fingers from Cornwall rebel against the norm. Feeling suitably liberated from the tyranny of convention, a spiced rum was born. Delicious sipped...

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Mixologist's Diary - The Bootlegger Family

Prohibition is over! 29,307 days after prohibition ended, The Bootlegger Family opened their doors in their first bar on Gloucester Road in Bristol. Since then the family have carried on its journey heading west, opening its doors at the top of Womanby Street in Cardiff, back to where the minds who conceived the idea grew up. This month we...

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Mixologist's Diary - Paul Minea, The Leafy Elephant

Founded in 2019 by the Duncan and his family, with aspirations of replicating the luxurious bars of Mayfair, London, The Leafy Elephant is a stunning new bar in Wokingham that is definitely "more than a pub!" With over 200 gins on their impressive back bar, this purpose built venue is all about the luscious experience (and it's not...

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Mixologist's Diary - Jonathan Benoliel, Vermuteria

26 June 2019

Vermuteria, next door to Kings Cross, is an all-day café and bar serving creative food and drinks inspired by the origins of Vermouth distilling, established during the 18th Century in the city of Turin, and the great Vermouth bars of Italy and beyond. This month's mixologist is Vermuteria's Head Barman, Jonathan Benoliel. A man who loves learning and is a...

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Behind the Scenes... Nigel picks an order!

14 May 2019

Our MD is on a quest, a journey to understand each area of our Nectar operation better. Recently, Nigel joined our Warehouse Manager Rich out on the floor to learn what happens when an order is picked and wrapped ready for delivery next day... he may well have picked your order! Why not grab a drink and watch this...

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GABOR MOLNAR... The Pig Hotel

16 April 2019

As they say, a dilapidated and overgrown walled kitchen garden, tucked away in the grounds of a tired country house hotel in the New Forest has a lot to answer for... and since 2011, this has led the way to inform everything The Pig does in the kitchen and mixology. For this Mixologist's Diary feature we caught up with...

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Meet the Producer... Rupert, Conker Spirits

24 April 2019

Conker Spirits began life as Rupert's dream to get out of the big smoke, today his range includes three delicious gins and a stunning cold brew coffee liqueur, all distilled in their Dorset distillery. Fast-forward 6 years, and it's clear the leap of faith was worth it. Meet Rupert in this short video as he (re) introduces his range to...

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Meet Alex, co-founder of Long Tail Mixers

25 March 2019

With a new selection of innovative drinks to our portfolio this spring, we invited a handful of our suppliers into HQ so our teams could meet them, understand more and taste their new drinks. Alex from Long Tail Mixers chatted to us about the experience and how Long Tail came about! Meet Alex in this short video and discover dark...

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Will Price, Mugshot

13 December 2018

Our Mixologist's Diary is back, and this edition we headed to bustling Brizzle to chat about two of our favourite topics - food and (of course) drink with Will Price from Mugshot as he prepares for the Christmas onslaught. If you've not been to Bristol in the last year you've missed this fantastic independent restaurant and bar with a...

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Gary Whiter, The Cabinet Rooms

It's common knowledge that the UK is enjoying a gin revival, with an unprecedented array of craft gins launching in the marketplace, since Sipsmiths sparked important changes in the world of distillation back in 2009. Around that time, Gary Whiter was about to embark on a Martini masterclass aboard the Queen Mary 2, while en route to New York. His...

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LLOYD BROWN, THE GREY BEAR BAR CO

This month we'd like you to meet Lloyd Brown, who heads up the Grey Bear Bar company, a bar consultancy and training company as well as being brand ambassador and distiller for Porters Perfection vodka (he's a busy man!). Having worked with us closely for nearly a decade, and previously run the Venner Bar at The Bull Hotel in Bridport...

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Elliott Skehel, Lab 22

In the heart of Cardiff is Lab 22, a unique venue offering a truly scientific approach to your sense of mixology enjoyment. Sleek and chic yet abundant in character, Lab 22 is the place where real magic happens. A place where elements collide and senses come alive. Lab 22 encourages the extraordinary and encourages the unusual. A creative cocktail bar...

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Hannah Wainright, The Treehouse

This August we're heading over to Beaconsfield to meet Hannah Wainwright of The Treehouse and Laurie Othen who have 'talked all things tequila' with us. The Treehouse was first established in 2010 and is part of Drinkwell Bars, a small bar group in the Chilterns. The Treehouse specialises in fantastic cocktails, a proportion of which are made with products made...

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